Physics: Scalar and Vector Quantities

Scalar and Vector Quantities

Scalar Quantities

• Have only magnitude (amount or size)
• No direction
• Examples: temperature, mass, density, time

Vector Quantities

• Have both magnitude and direction
• Examples: force, displacement, acceleration, velocity

Force

• A push or pull that causes an object to change its motion
• Measured in Newtons (N)
• Vector quantity: has both magnitude and direction
• Can be represented by an arrow in a diagram, with the length of the arrow representing the magnitude and the direction of the arrow representing the direction

Displacement

• The shortest distance an object travels from its initial to its final position
• Measured in meters (m)
• Vector quantity: has both magnitude and direction
• Can be represented by an arrow in a diagram, with the length of the arrow representing the magnitude and the direction of the arrow representing the direction

Acceleration

• The rate of change of velocity
• Measured in meters per second squared (m/s^2)
• Vector quantity: has both magnitude and direction
• Can cause an object to speed up, slow down, or change direction

Velocity

• The rate of change of an object's position with respect to time
• Measured in meters per second (m/s)
• Vector quantity: has both magnitude and direction
• Can be represented by an arrow in a diagram, with the length of the arrow representing the magnitude and the direction of the arrow representing the direction

Scalar Quantities

• Characterized by having only magnitude (amount or size), but no direction
• Examples of scalar quantities include:
  • Temperature
  • Mass
  • Density
  • Time

Vector Quantities

• Have both magnitude and direction
• Examples of vector quantities include:
  • Force
  • Displacement
  • Acceleration
  • Velocity

Force

• Defined as a push or pull that causes an object to change its motion
• Measured in units of Newtons (N)
• Has both magnitude and direction, making it a vector quantity
• Can be represented by an arrow in a diagram, with the length of the arrow representing the magnitude and the direction of the arrow representing the direction

Displacement

• Defined as the shortest distance an object travels from its initial to its final position
• Measured in units of meters (m)
• Has both magnitude and direction, making it a vector quantity
• Can be represented by an arrow in a diagram, with the length of the arrow representing the magnitude and the direction of the arrow representing the direction

Acceleration

• Defined as the rate of change of velocity
• Measured in units of meters per second squared (m/s^2)
• Has both magnitude and direction, making it a vector quantity
• Can cause an object to speed up, slow down, or change direction

Velocity

• Defined as the rate of change of an object's position with respect to time
• Measured in units of meters per second (m/s)
• Has both magnitude and direction, making it a vector quantity
• Can be represented by an arrow in a diagram, with the length of the arrow representing the magnitude and the direction of the arrow representing the direction